Carter Allen and Alexis Bowen. (Courtesy Portage Co. Jail)

Two busted following early morning incident at Iverson

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By Brandi Makuski

STEVENS POINT — Two area teens face charges after allegedly driving into a local park shortly after 1 a.m. with open alcoholic containers in their vehicle.

Alexis Bowen, 18, of Amherst, and Stevens Point resident Carter Allen, 19, appeared remotely from jail for bond hearings on Dec. 30 before Branch II Judge Louis Molepske, Jr. The pair face charges related to an incident early that morning at Iverson Park.

According to Assistant District Attorney Brian Pfeil, two Portage Co. deputies observed Bowen’s vehicle turning into Iverson Park from Hwy. 10 at about 1:10 a.m. The park was closed to the public, with wooden barriers blocking the entrance in an area typically used for snow storage in the winter.

The male passenger, later identified as Allen, exited and moved one of the barriers to allow the vehicle to pass the closed entrance. After the vehicle entered the park, Allen returned the barrier to its original position.

When the deputies approached the vehicle, they saw Bowen attempt to hide a bottle of vodka by covering it with an article of clothing in the rear seat. Bowen initially denied the presence of alcohol but eventually handed over an empty vodka bottle, according to Pfeil.

Bowen explained that she had pulled into the park due to a family emergency and needed to make a phone call. When questioned further, Bowen admitted that she was trying to go to her parents’ house to watch her underage sister.

But her reasoning conflicted with the park’s location, as there were other side roads available for parking, Pfeil said.

Officers also discovered two empty bottles of Jack Daniels Apple whiskey, a case of Twisted Tea beer, and the aforementioned vodka bottle inside her vehicle, Pfeil said.

Bowen was found to be in violation of bond conditions related to her previous felony cases, including one barring alcohol consumption and contact with certain individuals. She was arrested for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and resisting/obstructing an officer.

Allen also faces charges stemming from the incident. The complaint states that when deputies attempted to arrest him, he became combative, thrashing his body, kicking at the officers, and causing pain to one deputy by kicking them twice in the chest. Allen continued to resist arrest, requiring several officers and a leg restraint to place him in a squad car. While being booked into jail, Allen allegedly struck his head on the cage divider and yelled at officers. He provided a breath alcohol sample, which resulted in a reading of .169, over twice the legal limit.

The state requested a $1,000 cash bond for Allen, citing concerns about his non-compliance with previous bond conditions, including contact with Bowen and alcohol consumption. Pfeil also noted Allen’s combative behavior during the arrest, which raised concerns about his willingness to participate in future proceedings.

Attorney Greg Venturini, representing Allen, argued for a $2,000 signature bond, highlighting that Allen is young, indigent, and has ties to the area, including a high school diploma and a technical school degree.

But Molepske set Allen’s bond at $500 cash, considering his age and history of non-compliance with bond conditions.

Allen was ordered to refrain from contacting Bowen, consuming alcohol, and to comply with JusticePoint requirements as part of his bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 21.

Bowen was released on a $500 signature bond with conditions, including no alcohol use and no contact with Allen. Her pre-trial conference is set for 10 a.m. on March 17.